The first five years of SARS-CoV-2: inpatient treatment updates and future directions.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: In December 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first identified in adults with pneumonia in Wuhan, China. AREAS COVERED It is now believed that several billion humans have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 and more than ten million have died from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. EXPERT OPINION The first five years of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have been marked by unfathomable suffering as well as remarkable scientific progress. This manuscript examines what has been learned about the treatment of inpatients with COVID-19 and explores how the therapeutic approach may evolve in the years ahead.